The Knoxville Holts

dirrrrrty drawers.

2012-02-10T17:42:00.001-05:00

I consider myself a fairly neat person. Our house is clean. Things are organized. When my outside world is tidy, it creates a sense of order and calmness inside my busy mind. So the fact that our bathroom drawers and cabinets looked as if they were ravaged by a natural disaster of some sort was, let's just say, unsettling. I recruited my unsuspecting husband to help build some drawer organizers and I got to work. Lots of cleaning. LOTS of throwing away. I'm thrilled with how everything turned out, and we didn't spend a cent. Now my mind can relax again...until the next project. :)

so much make-up mess. i think i'm keeping bare minerals in business.

sanding the drawer divider. made of scrap plywood we had laying around.

i took a plastic gift bag and used it to line the drawers.

now the drawers will wipe out easy.

drawer divider in place.

i printed out a striped design and cut them rectangles to fit into the drawer fronts. less mess to see. i had a canvas bin from Target that i put to use housing all my hair stuff, lotions, etc.

The best part is that it's been a week and it's still clean!

thankful thursday: 1

2012-02-09T15:32:00.000-05:00

I've decided to start a new blog section: thankful thursdays. I love the idea of counting my blessings every day...but I never get into the habit of writing them down. Enter: thankful thursdays. I'm actually going to write down a few (of the many) things I'm thankful for. Some big, some little. All important. I strongly believe that you get what you give...the more you're grateful, the more you have to be grateful for. Why should we save all our thankful thoughts for Thanksgiving? So here we go!
First ever thankful thursday...

1.oatmeal

comfort food at it's best. i like mine with raisins or bananas, cinnamon and almond butter. but i really want to try this recipe for baked banana bread oatmeal. yum.

2.desk plants

without them my desk would be sad and lifeless. i love plants. spring can't get here fast enough.

3.my back is healing

i can't begin to explain how thankful I am for this. i've been seeing a new chiropractor who does NOT administer the typical chiro hands on (read: cracking, popping, sometimes painful) adjustments. He uses a tool called the "integrator" that gently adjusts the nerves and spine. i don't really understand how it works, i just know it works. my pain level has reduced about 95% in four treatments. here's a link to sulack chiropractor where i've been getting these magical adjustments that explains the technology way better than i can.

4.pandora

i know this has been around forever, but i can't get enough. radio that knows what i like. genius. music makes sitting at your desk soooooo much better. www.pandora.com

5.my handy husband

my hubby has many talents. one of which is the ability to conceptualize and build things. not only that, but then he follows through and actually builds stuff. he made me some awesome drawer organizers this past weekend (blog post coming) that make me extremely happy. and he's cute. bonus.

How fun was that?! I feel so good.

What are you thankful for today?

Home brew

2012-02-04T12:27:00.002-05:00

My husband has been busy the last few weeks brewing a homemade, imperial blond ale. I had absolutely no idea what went into brewing beer (and still kinda don't). But I do know it takes weeks before the beer is ready to drink...and there's lots of sanitizing and measuring things with contraptions that are reminiscent of high school chemistry class and siphoning and straining (the beer, not the brain...well, maybe a bit of both). Who knew so much went into a bottle of beer?

This first batch is finally finished, and he's now able to reap the rewards of all his hard work. The consensus is 4-1/2 out of 5 stars. Next up: a home brew said to rival Dogfish Head's 90 minute IPA. (Which I'm told is a big deal since Dogfish Head is no longer available in our area, and that beer is "awesome") We'll keep you posted.

32 flavors (and then some)

2012-01-29T16:12:00.000-05:00

It was Arik's 32nd birthday on Tuesday. I put together a little surprise for when he got home from work Tuesday night. Lots of fun decorations plus 32 bottles of beer, 32 lottery tickets and more than 32 mini snickers cupcakes. The cupcakes were insanely good.

Saturday night we had our friends, Aaron and Katie, over for some cheddar ale burgers, beer fries, beer (seeing the theme yet?) and card playing. A beer lovin' boy's birthday wishes come true.

32 bottles of beer on the wall. 32 bottles of beeeeeer!

I wanted to create a table cloth we could scribble and color on.

So I took some contact paper and covered the table.

Then cut fringes up to the edge of the table and taped the fringes underneath.

Next came the decorating. I cut out some cute pics of Arik and

made some talk bubbles that people could write in.

I made a mobile with pics and 32's handing from twine.

I just taped circles back to back. Easy and cute.

Also taped some to doors...

and the fridge.

Here was the view when he came home.

32 lottery tickets...he actually made back over half!

The AMAZING snickers cupcakes. seriously. amazing.

Here's the recipe.

The birthday boy enjoying some brew.

Individual 7 layer dip. Love this idea. No more double dipping

into the plate of dip...'cause you got your own! love.

The boys enjoying Arik's first batch of home brew.

A post about that is coming this week.

Mmmmm....my very own cup o' dip. Dip recipe here.

Us girls. Chillin'

Cheddar ale burger, beer fries & beer.

So much food.

Apple nut crisp. Turned out super yummy.

Pic does not do it justice.

Recipe here.

A carboy...can't really remember what it does.

Umm.

Something for brewing beer.

Arik got himself a kegerator and saved about a grand.

(gotta love craig's list)

Happy birthday to the shiny, happy, thoughtful, talented,

super cute love of my life. I love you.

gemstones + jewelry = love

2012-01-27T13:06:00.000-05:00

When I was around 7 or 8 years old, almost nothing brought me more joy than hunting for rocks. "Rocks?" you say. Yup. Rocks. My dad picked up a rock polisher at a garage sale, and I'm pretty sure he had no idea the countless hours I would soon spend scouring the yard and surrounding neighborhood for stones to polish. There was something satisfying (and somewhat miraculous) about seeing a dirty, dingy rock go into the tumbler and emerge a bright, sparkling and pristine little nugget.

Soon I discovered our town's Gem Shop. I had no idea how many different kinds of rocks there were. Or that they could be so shiny. And then there was...the JEWELRY. Jewelry with rocks! It was an amazing discovery. You could have your rocks with you at all times (with a bit more ease than stuffing them into your pockets). I was smitten.

Twenty five years later, I still feel like that little girl when I see a great piece of handmade jewelry. Only now, instead of polishing rocks, I design and make jewelry whenever I get the chance. The sparkly, shiny rocks are still my favorite. I've been lucky enough to sell quite a few pieces, but my dream is to one day have my own little studio where I can actually make money painting, making jewelry, and playing the entire day!

So take a look. I've only pictured a few of what's here. Most of these pieces are still for sale. Leave a comment below if you're interested in anything or if you just want to share your admiration of shiny things. I'd love to hear from you!

3 different necklaces.

Top: ocean jasper. smoky quartz. moonstone. chalcedony.

earrings. left: pearl. moonstone. turquoise.

long peridot necklace. featured in top pic and directly below.

2 necklaces. Top: Labradorite. turquoise. chalcedony + a few others.

earrings. left: quartz right: moonstone & turquoise.

so many stones. garnet. turquoise. peridot. apatite. citrine + more.

rose quartz. quartz.

moonstone.

labradorite. chalcedony. quartz.

turquoise. apatite. iolite. moonstone. quartz. featured in top pic.

labradorite and black pearl.

turquoise.

top: moonstone & rutilated quartz.

bottom: turquoise. aventurine. quartz. peridot. pearl. citrine + more.

sodalite. chalcedony. peridot. amethyst. lemon quartz. iolite.

smoky quartz. moonstone.

aventurine.

one of my favorites I've been wearing non-stop.

ocean jasper. quartz. citrine + moonstone up on the chain. love.

be my valentine

2012-01-22T16:43:00.004-05:00

February is right around the corner, and that means Valentines Day. I've found some great do-it-yourself gifts and some easier click-of-the-mouse gifts. These have definitely gotten my creative wheels turning...I might actually give some of these a try. I'll keep you posted.

string art. instructions found here.

add hearts with hand written notes to tea bags. so easy & cute.

idea from Martha Stewart.

Have some branches laying around? Make some votive holders.

Instructions found here.

dip strawberries in yogurt and freeze. a healthy valentines treat.

you could try with strawberry yogurt too.

How cute are these?! Directions here.

These look amazing!!! Recipe is here.

Exotic truffles made with unique ingredients like

rose champagne, ceylon cinnamon, and oyster cream.

(Attention men: these are from Vosges "aphrodisiac truffle" collection...you're welcome).

Here's the link guys.

If you're buying a valentine gift this year, consider supporting artists on ETSY. (I LOVE this website!)

Here are my top 10 ETSY favorites for Valentines:

10.

Have you thought about Valentine's Day yet? Are you going to go the DIY or store-bought route?

you make me happy when skies are gray

2012-01-20T11:55:00.002-05:00

I'm loving gray and white lately. We've been toying with the idea of painting the bonus room gray...and after seeing these super cute gray and white accessories, I'm thinking we should.

Prints sold on etsy

Floor pouf from West Elm

Love the gray striped wall. Other great images of this room at
House of Turquoise.

Pillow from Calvin Klein

Striped rug from Wayfair

Printed curtains from West Elm

Love the pillows. Love the throw. Love it all. Find the goods at

Crate & Barrel.

Etched vases from CB2

Rustic wood mirrors. Found here.

What do you think? Are you into the gray and white trend?

and the golden globe goes to...(snore)

2012-01-15T22:09:00.002-05:00

Are you watching the golden globes tonight? I always look forward to seeing all the crazy/beautiful fashion do's and don'ts (maybe the don'ts a tad more). But as usual, besides the comedy catagories, the comedy actor/actress awards, (and any off-handed comments by Mr. Gervais), I'm starting to find myself slowly nodding off. (Is this seriously 3 hours!?) Wouldn't it be amazing if they had an awards show for only the best comedies and comedic actors of tv and movies over the last 20 years? I would definitely watch that (much shorter and funnier) awards show. It got me thinking...what are my all-time favorite comedy shows? Top 5 Drumroll......

1.Arrested Development. Seriously one of the funniest shows ever made. Quirky. Smart and hilarious writing. One of the very few shows that you can watch again and again and it's still funny (maybe even funnier).

2.Friends. Such a feel good show. I was 14 years old when this show first aired (1994) and watched through high school and college. It was part of the culture during those years. Hair styles (the "Rachel") and one-liners ("how you doin'?") were copied, and it seemed to be one of those shows parents and kids both enjoyed. Rare.

3. Modern Family. Now I know this series hasn't been on the air too long, but in my book it definitely deserves a spot in the top 5. If you haven't seen this show yet, you're missing out. Each character is so, so funny. (But Cam is my favorite with Phil coming in at a close second) The things that come out of their mouths are extremely witty...I laugh out loud several times a show. out. loud.

4. Seinfeld. Classic. Hilarious. Never gets old. Sponge-worthy.

5. Will & Grace. I loved how adorably flawed each one of these characters was. The writing and comedic punch lines were pretty edgy at the time (1998) for network TV. There were plenty "did he/she just say that?!" moments. Love me some Jack. And Karen. Love.

Honorable Mentions: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Scrubs, Happy Endings, The Office, Sex & the City

Did I miss anyone's favorites???

eggplant parm (sort of)

2012-01-13T12:59:00.001-05:00

You know that feeling when you're half way (sometimes only a quarter) into a recipe and you think "hmmm, I may be in over my head....and I'm missing 3 ingredients?" Yeah, this was one of those times. "Broiling? What is that again? Before the baking? Soak eggplant for 30 minutes? Parmesan...yeah, don't have it. What am I doing?" Yes, I realize the recipe is Eggplant PARMESAN. Did I let my lack of parmesan cheese and clear lack of skill stop me? No, I forged ahead. I'm pretty glad I did since the finished dish was quite tasty (and healthy). If you're cool spending 45 minutes prepping, chopping, broiling, then this recipe is for you! I found this recipe on www.myrecipes.com Let me know if you try it and what you think. I bet it's even better with parmesan!

Ingredients

1/2 cup dry white wine (I had some Kendall Jackson chardonnay, so threw some of that in)
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
4 (8-ounce) cans no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 (28-ounce) can no-salt-added whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (1-pound) eggplants, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup water
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs (I only had panko, just added Italian seasoning)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I did not have...sad)
Vegetable cooking spray
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Fresh oregano sprigs (optional) (Nope, didn't have this either)

Preparation

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes.

Place eggplant in a large bowl; add water to cover, and let stand 30 minutes. Drain well; blot dry with paper towels.

Combine 1/4 cup water and egg whites in a shallow bowl. Combine breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese; stir well. Dip eggplant in egg white mixture, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture.

Place half of eggplant on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray, and broil 5 minutes on each side or until browned. Repeat procedure with remaining eggplant. Set eggplant aside.

Spread half of tomato mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange half of eggplant over sauce; top with half of mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers with remaining sauce, eggplant, and cheese.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh oregano sprigs, if desired. Makes 8 Servings.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

Calories: 298

Calories from fat: 26%

Fat: 8.5g

Saturated fat: 5g

Monounsaturated fat: 2.2g

Polyunsaturated fat: 0.4g

Protein: 19.2g

Carbohydrate: 38.8g

Fiber: 2.6g

Cholesterol: 27mg

Iron: 2.8mg

Sodium: 818mg

Calcium: 422mg

Nutrition Guidelines for Healthy Living

happy happy joy joy

2012-01-12T12:22:00.007-05:00

One of the major perks to Arik working at Sharpie is the free swag. I love a good pen...especially when it comes in crazy colors. Enter: InkJoy, by Paper Mate (a division of Sharpie). These little gems will be coming to a store near you. The mission was "to develop a revolutionary ink system that would give you the best in effortless writing...without dragging...delivering crisp, clean lines every time. We wanted to bring the joy back to writing..."

I've taken them for a spin, and I kinda love the little guys. Fun, bright colors, reminiscent of skittles, and no goopy spots left on the paper. They brought me a little bit of joy, maybe they will for you too!

I started wondering how many Sharpie's we had laying around.
So I did a round up.
These are only a few of MANY...

1.Sharpie Accent Highlighter (retractable) 2.Sharpie Ultra Fine Point
3.Sharpie Fine Point 4.Sharpie Twin Tip
5.Sharpie Mini (aren't they cute?) 6.Sharpie Micro 7.Sharpie Pen

There are many divisions of Sharpie. One of my favorites being PRISMACOLOR. Anyone who has used a PRISMACOLOR knows the quality (ahem, and price) and knows how amazing they are. We were required to use these markers in collage art classes...if only I had this free swag back then. There would have been so much more money for ~~beer~~ ~~clothes~~ text books. :)

8.Paper Mate Flair 9.PRISMACOLOR Scholar

10.PRISMACOLOR Premier

Have a bright and happy day!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2012-01-11T14:01:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately, we've been in a pretty significant food rut for a while now. But we admitted there was a problem, and that's the first step. Step two was finding new recipes. So here we go. Found this recipe from the chef in training blog. Found here. The recipe was super easy. The only prep work is to chop up an onion. From there you just throw stuff in a crock pot. My kind of cooking. It turned out fantastic. We'll definitely add this meal to our rotation. Here's the recipe:

CROCKPOT CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

2 chicken boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cans Ro-Tel (you can use any canned, diced tomatoes)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn
1 onion, chopped
2 cans low-sodium chicken broth
1-2 cups of water
1 Tbsp garlic powder*
1 Tbsp chile powder*
1 Tbsp ground cumin*
1 Tbsp dried cilantro*

*I used taco seasoning in place of these. Worked great.

tortilla chips
sour cream
shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

1. Put chopped onion, cans of beans, rotel, corn, chicken broth, water, and spices in CrockPot and stir to mix.

2. Put chicken breasts on top of mixture and make sure they're at least partly submerged in liquid.

3. Cook on high 6-7 hours or low 8-9 hours. (I cooked on high for 5 and low for 1 hour)

4. Before serving remove the chicken breasts from soup and shred, if needed. (sometimes the chicken will fall apart on its own)

5. Return chicken to CrockPot, stir to combine.

To serve put a few tortilla chips in the bottom of a bowl, ladle soup over tortilla chips, top with shredded cheddar cheese, and a dollop of sour cream, serve with more chips if you like. Enjoy!

So easy. Just open and pour.

We used Kettle Brand Tias chips in their Salsa Picante flavor. They're like healthy Doritos.

By putting the chips in the bowl first, and letting them sit a minute or so, the soup warms them up and makes them a yummy tortilla texture.

Yum!

DIY t-shirt scarf

2012-01-10T14:49:00.006-05:00

Infinity t-shirt scarves seem to be all the rage right now. I'd seen several blogs and websites with tutorials on how to make your own....but I didn't want fringes, bangles, braids, beads. I just wanted a simple, comfy, cozy infinity t-shirt scarf with no bells or whistles. I snagged an old t-shirt from Arik and got to work. I'm pretty happy with my comfy little scarf. Extra bonus, it was super easy.

Step 1. Start with an old t-shirt. (The bigger, the better)

Then find a helper...

or two.

Step 2. Cut off the bottom hem & the top of shirt under sleeves.

Step 3. Make one cut down the middle leaving about 2 inches at the end. If you want a skinnier, strappier scarf, cut 2 or 3 strips.

Step 4. Pull each end so the edges roll.

"Are you done yet?" Almost.

Step 5. Grab onto the end where you left the 2 extra inches. You should have 2 long loops. You can fold the scarf in half or you can wear it long. If you want to cover the back seam you can use the hem you cut off and wrap it around. You don't really see it when it's scrunched up, so I didn't bother. But that's where a lot of other bloggers got creative. If you're looking for a bit more detail in your scarf, check out some of these:

http://myblessedlife.net/2011/10/t-shirt-scarf-tutorial.html

Here's the finished product. Simple. Easy. Cute.

The Holidays

2012-01-04T12:29:00.007-05:00

2012 is here! It's been quite chilly in K-town post holiday season. It's been hovering around 30 degrees for the last few days. We even had a sprinkling of snow several days ago. "Sprinkling" might even be generous. It lasted a mere 5 minutes, no joke. But just long enough for me to get a few pics of the pups frolicking and enjoying the dusting. We stayed home in Knoxville for the holidays. It was nice and relaxing. Hopefully yours was the same.

Annual Christmas cookie making.

Matching totes.

Stocking.

Christmas morning. Katie, Mel, & me.

Aaron and his Christmas quiche (and awesome vest)

Molly

Ernie zooming.

Ernie and Toby.

View from my desk this morning.

Desk succulents doing quite nice.

Stay warm!

around the house

2011-12-18T14:41:00.005-05:00

Just a few shots from around the house. My parents gave us a gift card to CB2 for Christmas and we promptly replaced our torn rug in the living room. Thanks Mom & Dad. Money well spent. I love the new rug.

Here's the before shot with old rug.

After shot with new rug. It fits the space so much better. Love.

Ernie loving new rug.

Stockings hung by the chimney with care.

Arik made these AMAZING frames from old wood from a shipping crate. We stained wood to mount the plexi-glass (old scraps from his work) on to and there you go...an awesome, rustic frame that looks great on our mantle. We saw almost the exact same frame in a store downtown for $60! We spent exactly $0.

Adorable succulents from store in Des Moines. I'm obsessed with succulents right now and these were too cute to pass up.

Birdies. (from CB2)

I rescued (maybe stole) this branch from someones front lawn. In my defense, it had been on the ground for a while. I mean I probably did them a favor, right??? I thought hanging these glass globes filled with little air plants would look great. I love it.

Up close air plant. (Tillandsia)

Another air plant getting ready to bloom.

Where did September go?

2011-10-18T12:23:00.004-04:00

I know, I know...September has come and gone with no posts. It's been a busy, whirlwind of a fall so far. One big change....we've adopted another puppy! Yes, we have 3 fur kids now! Gluttons for punishment? Perhaps. We just got Toby, a 10 month old chihuahua mix from the animal shelter on Saturday. He's absolutely adorable and is getting along with the other pups fabulously. He knows he's not in charge, and that's ok. Now we just have to teach Ernie (who's now around 60 lbs at 6-1/2 months) to engage in a little gentler playing style. Toby's been stepped on and pushed around a bit, but he's a trooper. Molly had to have surgery to remove 4 tumors last Monday. She goes in Thursday to get the stitches removed. We're still waiting on the biopsy results.

Arik's work has been pretty busy. Sharpie is contracting a machine from a company in Madison, so he was able to fly back and visit the old stomping grounds. I'm still teaching pilates and healing the back/SI injury. It does seem to be getting better. Jollyfish is starting to pick up which will be nice. So that's been our fall in a nutshell! You're all caught up. Hopefully you all are doing great and are happy and healthy!

Hi! I'm Toby.

Ernie & Toby.

Molly exhausted from the kiddos.

All 3 pups. Ernie hogging all toys as usual.

Toby making a run for it with a toy.

doggone fun

2011-08-28T14:44:00.004-04:00

Most of you know we've recently adopted a new black lab puppy named Ernie. He's almost 5 months now & is around 35 lbs. (although that was last week...he's probably gained 5 lbs since then) yikes. They are suspecting he will get around 80 lbs...quite the contrast from Molly who weighs a petite 28 lbs. Speaking of our senior dog, she's been a trooper. Days 1-3 were a little rough...apparently Molly believed Ernie needed some schooling in all the house rules, like don't mess with her toys when she's playing with them, no biting her ears when going down the stairs, & last but not least no going through doorways before her.

But dogs live in the moment and are fabulous at leaving the past in the past. They now play and romp around outside until Molly calls it quits. We've had 2 classes of puppy obedience school & I'm pretty sure he's the smartest in class, but maybe I'm biased. :) Since Ernie has quite the stamina in the playing department, we've also enrolled him in doggy daycare which has proven to be quite helpful in draining his surplus of energy. I'm thrilled with how tired he is when he comes home from "school" and I'm pretty sure Molly is too!

Ernie.

Molly. Her eye has healed quite nicely after the surgery.

Tired puppy. Check out those paws. HUGE.

Lovin' the kiddie pool. He hasn't convinced Molly of it's wonders.

So tired. It's hard work being an older sister.

Back diagnosis

2011-08-11T12:16:00.005-04:00

Most of you know I've been enduring severe lower back/hip pain since my injury that landed me in the ER in November. After months and months of physical therapy, my PT decided it was time for an MRI. The MRI showed only slight disc bulging...not enough to be causing the amount of pain I was in. So the culprit was deemed the sacroiliac joint, or SI joint.

SI joints connect the pelvic bones to the spine. They are small and don't move much, but they absorb all the forces of the upper body before balancing and transferring the weight to the hips and legs. When one or both of these joints become irritated or injured, they can cause chronic discomfort and pain in the lower back, hip, & buttocks...which is exactly what I've been having.

So Tuesday I went into the surgery center to receive a cortisone steroid injection in my SI joint to reduce all the inflammation. Not fun. Here's a link explaining what they did:

http://www.spine-health.com/video/sacroiliac-joint-steroid-injection-video

Since it is a slow acting cortisone, I might not see relief for a few days. So far, it hasn't improved very much. I'm hoping in the next day or so it starts kicking in. Please start kicking in.

Rocky Mountains!!!

2011-08-03T08:59:00.015-04:00

We just got back from Colorado, and it was absolutely gorgeous! Arik's sister, Lauralee got married in a beautiful outdoor wedding in Estes Park. It went off without a hitch. The weather was perfect. We stayed a few extra days to sightsee. So glad we did! We loved Denver & Estes Park. Boulder was nice too, but didn't get to see a whole lot there except Boulder Falls and the butterfly gardens. It was great to see everyone. Here are some pics of the trip.

Some visitors were in the outdoor ampitheater in Estes Park when we were arriving for the rehearsal Friday night.

Trying to find a seat.

Meeting of the minds.

Jan & Keith.

Me & Arik.

Aimee, Arik & Lauralee.

Madalynn & Jan.

Wedding day!

The view at the wedding.

Grandma Jean with Arik & Laura.

Grandma Eleanor & Grandpa Jack.

Keith & Lauralee at the reception.

Sisters: Jan, Taryn, & Randi

Father/daughter dance.

Arik & Madalynn.

The drive up to the Rockies. Can you see the pole right next to the road? That's for when it snows....so they can find the road when they plow!

My new friend the park ranger.

On our way back through the park, a worker had tipped over in his machine! bad day.

Into the park was sunny and gorgeous. On the way back, rain & hail.

Last morning in Estes Park.

At Boulder Falls.

At the Butterfly Pavilion.

beautiful.

tomato update

2011-06-29T14:09:00.004-04:00

Christina, this is for you! :) Little tomato is getting oh so big! But it's been SUPER hot and then we had an entire week where it rained every day....and now a few leaves are yellow. I don't know if it got too much water or if the leaves turning are from the extreme heat/sun. Thoughts? I tested the soil today and it was dry so I watered. I don't know. I would really love tomatoes before September....not sure that's in the cards.

Here is wee tomato on June 7. (not to first rung yet)

Here is tomato June 29. (Almost to third rung)

Note: yellow leaves.

It does have some flowers forming....so just maybe we'll get a couple tomato babies!

June Happenings

2011-06-29T11:43:00.007-04:00

It's been a busy, HOT Summer so far. Here's a few pics of what we were doing in June.

Can you spot the hummingbird? Quick little fella.

Here he is perched on our fence.

Our first crop of blackberries.

Our blackberries next to a farmers market blackberry. Guess which ones are organic?

mushrooms & morning glories.

Annecia & Scott visited from Iowa. Here we are at the Rock mine in Pigeon Forge.

At the farmers market, downtown Knoxville. Either this is the economical way to keep their hydrangeas watered or a funky art installation. The bottles have the tops cut off so rain water can get in and rocks in the bottom to hold moisture.

Street music.

Annecia enjoying the music.

HUGE hydrangeas paired with HUGE sunglasses. love.

Our 8th Anniversary was June 28th. We went out for sushi. How gorgeous is this?

martini time

mmmmm.

Happy couple.

bed makeover

2011-06-08T16:36:00.004-04:00

So we've had white sheets and a white comforter for years and I've been wanting bedding that's less stark and something more like your favorite old t-shirt. I was dreaming of something that was super cozy and you couldn't wait to crawl into & just relax. I think we've hit the mark. I'm absolutely in love with how it looks, but Arik hasn't seen it yet...any bets whether he'll like it or not? (or if he'll notice) ha! The only thing I'm thinking that might be iffy for him is the yellow pillow. It's an easy fix if he's opposed...however, it is reversible, so we have two chances for him to like it. Fingers crossed!

duvet: west elm (color-seaspray)

quilt: urban outfitters (jones patchwork)

sheets & throw pillows: target

the reverse side of the pillow in question...I love both sides!

projects!

2011-06-07T17:24:00.007-04:00

We've been busy. LOTS of landscaping and some grill restoration. It's taken a while but we are excited to lounge outside in our amazing new back yard...complete with the new fence! No more chasing naughty dogs! yippee!

Arik sanding down an old smoker....it's really amazing what guys will do for smoked meat.

Coating the inside with a high-heat resistant paint.

Here is a before shot.

Another before pic.

And the after.

The inside after. Arik had put insulation that was supposed to be extremely heat tolerant...

but as you can see, it's not THAT heat tolerant. Any ideas?

My tomato plants...I planted them from seed in May. Maybe I should've started earlier? Tomatoes are good in October, right?

Some new flowers blooming.

Daylillies in full swing.

Our black raspberries are getting ripe! We put special bird netting over the top...we'll see if that works.

We added a rock border to the front of our yard...

...and to the back. So much rock in the back.

Here's a before pic. (check out the new fence)

Here's the after.

We transplanted our holly bushes to create a little corner planting. They should eventually grow together.

Arik made a little grill area for his newly restored smoker.

New pathway. Grass is so thirsty. We water. It doesn't matter. That's what 12+ days in a row of over 90 degrees with no rain does to your lawn. (in case you were wondering)

The smoker in all its glory. Went to a rock place and found a huge stone for Arik to stand on while he's grilling. It fit perfectly.

Memorial Day

2011-06-01T11:19:00.006-04:00

I know it has been forever since I've posted. I'm REALLY going to try to get better at keeping this up to date. At least one post a month! That shouldn't be too hard right? Here are some pics from Memorial Weekend in Wisconsin. Fun had by all!

Arik & I in my parents back yard.

Me by the lilacs.

Jan listening to the parade.

Keith, Jan, Arik & Laura

Me & Mom.

The hugest poppy in the entire state.

Vern, Gwen, Laura & Arik

Laura, Arik, Jan & Keith

Tailgating for the Brewer game. Allison, Nicole & Christina.

Christina & Laura (watching the game intently...who's playing?)

Arik & Laura (nope, not my brewer shirt...thanks Meagan!)

Anne, Nicole, Meg, Laura, Meagan, Allison, & Christina.

Arik & Stephen (Christina's hubby)

All the husbands.

Meg, Christina, Allison, & Nicole

spring

2011-05-20T12:07:00.001-04:00

Summer Fun

2010-07-15T15:50:00.005-04:00

Thought I'd post some pictures from our Summer thus far. We've done some hiking and made a trip to Myrtle Beach for our 7th anniversary. Not sure if we'll be headed back there...it was, let's just say "interesting." We'll leave it at that! Hope you are all enjoying your Summer!

This is Myrtle Beach in a nutshell. Here's the view from our hotel room. umm...busy.

This was at Broadway at the Beach....a touristy spot for dining, mini-golfing, music, etc.

Enjoying some beach time.

Trying out some drinks at Tommy Bahama's.

Not sure if you can make out the HUGE catfish lurking amidst the ducks. Surprisingly the ducks would generally win in the battle for bread.

The most M&M's in one place, period.

Another shot from Broadway at the Beach.

Arik is loving the "adult juice box." We aren't privy to those in Knoxville!

On a hike in the Smokies. At the base of one of the caves.

After we made it through the cave....right before we got drenched! No pics of that! We were running too fast to stop for a photo op.

Randomness

2010-06-04T12:32:00.004-04:00

Just a note to say "hi!" I made the BEST grilled cheese and tofu sandwich last night and couldn't resist taking a picture. (yes, I'm a nerd) Also thought I'd post a few more pics of the yard. Flowers doing amazing. Hope you all are doing well!

Hummus, goat and munster cheeses, avocado, tomato, spicy mustard,

and tofu all grilled into warm gooey perfection. SO good!

Love me some Spring

2010-05-11T17:48:00.003-04:00

Just a few more pictures from around the yard. I love Spring so much in East Tennessee. The weather is perfectly warm and the flowers have enough rain to thrive before the Summer heat.

Spring

2010-05-07T15:53:00.005-04:00

Hey y'all! Spring is in full swing and I thought I'd post some pics. I hope you all are doing great and enjoying the sunshine.

Enjoying one of Grandma Jean's cookies along a hike in the Smokies.

Jan & Keith while visiting.

On the mend

2010-03-23T18:59:00.003-04:00

Just a note to say both surgeries went great! My sinuses are healing wonderfully and this morning's knee sugery went perfectly. Thanks for all the cards and flowers and for all your prayers! It meant a lot to know you were all thinking of me! I'll be off crutches in a few days and the nose splint comes off Thursday. Then comes the restrengthening of my knee! So as of now, all is well! On to the healing...

Christmas 2009

2010-01-07T18:03:00.010-05:00

The holidays have come and gone. Here's some highlights from the Holt/VanZeeland Christmas. Thanks to everyone who sent cards and gifts. We are so blessed!

2010 here we come!

Christmas eve off to a great start.

We made homemade pizzas.

And baked an apple pie from scratch.

Look at the mound of apples!

The finished product.

There was enough apples and leftover crust to make a few mini pies. So cute!

A satisfied customer.

Food coma.

After dinner, we began opening presents.

Oh boy! What is it? Must have been good.

Arik got me a peridot necklace...my birthstone. LOVE IT!

The next morning the VanZeelands came back over and we opened our stockings...

...but not before a little egg bake! Jan's recipe. Executed perfectly by Arik.

The dogs couldn't wait to open their stockings.

So many presents!

Later that afternoon we headed over to the VanZeeland house to celebrate Christmas Day.

The guys made meat...yeah, can't remember what it was. Meaty goodness.

The girls enjoyed some fish and wine.

The guys couldn't wait for us to join them at their candlelight dinner.

Sydney, loved all her Christmas gifts....

...until they disappeared under the bookcase.

It was a very merry Christmas. Have a happy and healthy 2010!

Happy Holidays

2009-12-22T14:47:00.004-05:00

Just a note to say Happy Holidays. We've been enjoying all the Christmas cards from you all! Hopefully everyone is done Christmas shopping and able to relax until the big day gets here. That's exactly what we did today...relax.

Roscoe anticipating Christmas. He's excited for his stocking (see his tail).

My Christmas cactus is in full bloom! The first time it's actually bloomed at Christmas!

Roscoe and Molly relaxing in the sun on the steps.

They must be done with their shopping.

Happy Howlidays!!! (I couldn't resist!)

Sugar Rush!

2009-12-20T13:03:00.004-05:00

Our annual Christmas Cookie making extravaganza was this weekend. So many cookies, so little time (so much sugar)! We got together with the VanZeelands to create gingerbread, sugar cookie and peanut butter masterpieces. We stirred, baked, decorated, and ate our way through the evening. I think we all fulfilled our sugar intake for the year in one night. Until next year...

Girls decorating and Aaron attempting to roll out gingerbread dough...attempting.

Buddah likes Christmas cookies too.

Feverishly slaving away, cookie by cookie.

Where all the decorating magic happens...kinda like Santa's workshop.

The sugar has started to kick in.

So many gingerbread men.

Some of our favorite "special" gingerbread men.

The finished products.

Happy Holidays!

Holiday Cheer

2009-12-12T16:47:00.006-05:00

We finally got around to getting our Christmas tree today. We visited a small, family owned tree farm a few miles from our house. It was the first farm we'd been to where you cut your own tree, so I thought I'd document the experience. The family who owned and operated the farm was extremely nice and helpful. We loved the small-town feel. After you picked out your tree, they welcomed you to roast marshmallows and enjoy hot cocoa or cider by the fire. Super cute! Here's a few pics of our Christmas tree adventure along with some holiday snapshots from around the house. Enjoy!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

MEXICO!!!

2009-12-11T15:23:00.008-05:00

We just got back from our week long vacation to Mexico on Wednesday and all of a sudden the holidays are here! From 80 degrees to 40 degrees! I know, all of you up north amidst the blizzard say "boo hoo!" I do realize it could be colder, and snowier! I'm not complaining....just merely noticing the temperature change....and huddling in the corner with my 12 layers of clothes! No more bikini.

We traveled to Playa del Carmen with our friends Aaron and Katie for a week and enjoyed the perfectly sunny days on the beach and by the pool. We stayed in an all inclusive, adults only 5 star resort and loved every minute of being waited on hand and foot! As I sit here at my desk, I'm wondering when the server will be by asking me if I need anything....no luck yet.

The hotel was right on the beach and had several pools, about 8 restaurants, just as many bars/swim up bars, and daily entertainment. Arik and I tried out a little towel art, (which proved to be more difficult than I thought after several margaritas), I did a little salsa dancing by the pool, we saw a few shows at night, but for the most part we relaxed by the pool or on the beach.

We took a cab into Playa del Carmen for some shopping one day. It was a lot more touristy than I thought it would be. If you love to barter, that is the town for you! Arik and I took one morning and went on a dolphin excursion...definitely one of the highlights of the trip!

We're already thinking about our next vacation! We're so lucky to be able to travel with our best friends and still be friends and want to hang out when we get back!!! :) We hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season! Happy Holidays.

The view from the hotel grounds. Tiki huts on the beach.

Gotta love that turquoise water!

The winding paths to the beach. The hotel did a great job of keeping a lot of the natural vegetation in tact. There were winding rivers, flowers, & crazy little animals...we steered clear of the gators!

Taking the path to the beach.

Aaron took this picture of Arik and I waiting to eat at the Italian restaurant. The food was even better than the art if you can believe it!

Vegetable ratatouille at the French restaurant. So pretty.

Chocolatey mousse gooey, creamy goodness.

The fire show at the hibachi restaurant.

At dinner.

Playing with "Fanny" the dolphin.

This is called the "foot push." Two dolphins take their noses and push into each foot sending you flying out of the water like you're water skiing. Super fun! Only one problem...see following photos.

Um, yeah. When you're pushed super fast from underneath the water to above the water, sometimes your swim suit bottoms want to stay underneath the water...luckily I have a quick reflex. The children didn't have to shield their eyes.

I was able to let one hand free...the other hand securing the bottoms at all times!

Arik had a bit of an easier time than me.

No, I didn't doctor this image...he got completely out of the water!

The dolphin getting a little frisky.

Here is Arik on the street of Playa del Carmen.

A little square in Playa.

Arik & Aaron.

Arik and I at dinner.

Me and Katie in the trees!

Halloween Weekend

2009-11-02T12:42:00.003-05:00

Halloween has come and gone, but the trees in East Tennessee are still in their prime fall colors. With all the rain we've had, some of our garden flowers are blooming and a bit confused...we don't mind. We celebrated this weekend at Katie and Aaron's annual Halloween party. Arik's dad sent some authentic cowboy accessories for Arik's costume...quite the hit. Who knew lassos had wire in them?! Aaron was a confused Brett Favre, Katie was Blueberry Shortcake, and I was a Native American girl to complement Arik's cowboy look. The treats and pumpkin fluff were abounding...good times had by all.

This is the view from our back yard. Delicious fall colors.

And yet our hanging baskets flourish...we love it!

The lone iris that has decided it's time to bloom.

Cowboy and Indian

Cowboy and Brett

Katie and me

Arik lovin the cowboy costume. He looks so natural!

Lila as balletpup.

Cowboy Brett?

Not sure if this is a political statement. I feel like some Green Bay fans might enjoy this photo a bit too much.

Fall Hike

2009-10-29T12:03:00.006-04:00

Hello again! Long time no chat! I've decided I'm done being sick for a long time. My dues have been paid. I ended up getting tonsillitis after the last round of sickness, so I am fully recovered and have gotten it out of my system for the year and then some!

My parents visited 2 weeks ago...unfortunately it rained the entire 4 days they were here. They brought a bunch of plants and we're planning on getting them in the ground this weekend. I'll post pics when those get in.

On Sunday, Arik and I went up into the Smokies to Chimney Top. Though it's only 2 miles up, it's one of the steepest hikes around. Once you get to the top you actually scale this enormous rock to reach the very top point where you're rewarded with a breath-taking 360 degree view of the Smokies. This was the perfect time of year to do it with the trees in their full fall glory! This was Arik's first time hiking Chimney Top and my second...but it was my first time actually scaling the rock at the very top! It was a bit intimidating but completely worth it!

The ride into the Smokies.

Arik at the beginning of the hike.

This was the terrain of the trail. It's hard to tell from the pic, but it's steep!

Posing for a pic along one of the many bridges.

Me.

The bottom of the trail follows a creek.

Here is the very top of Chimney top. Again, this picture just doesn't do this rock justice. I use the work "rock" lightly....it was huge, and it was steep.

This was the very top. Mission accomplished!

Arik at the top.

Us at the top. The colors were amazing!

More colors.

Here is the climb back down from the very top "rock." We had to basically slide on our butts while grasping for footing! I'm sure there's some fancy mountain climbing terminology...but we called it "holding on for dear life!" So much fun...and so worth it!

among the living!

2009-09-27T18:49:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone!

Just a note to let you know we're still alive. I have been sick for the past 3 or so weeks and now all of a sudden September is coming to a close! Not sure what I had...a coldish/fluish extravaganza of symptoms. So sorry for the lack of blogging. But I'm getting back into the swing of things...so for all of the 2 people that read this, don't you worry, I have the best of intentions to pick up where I left off and continue the knoxville blog-a-palooza!

We have been keeping busy. I seriously don't know where the weeks go! This weekend we house/dog/cat/horse sat (yes, you read that right, horse) for some friends. They live out in the country and have 7 dogs, 2 cats, and a horse...I was waiting for the partridge in the pear tree to fly into the house! But everything went well, and we're alive to tell the story.

We're coming off an extremely wet week. LOTS of rain. Arik and I were contemplating taking an ark building class in hopes that we wouldn't float away! Luckily, we faired OK. And the sun even came out today!

Hopefully you all are doing well! Feel free to comment on our posts! We miss you all!

Have a great rest of September!

flowers galore

2009-09-03T17:15:00.003-04:00

Just a note to say "thanks" to everyone for the beautiful flowers and birthday cards! I feel so loved! Well, tomorrow is friday...there's a nice long weekend ahead! We're hopefully doing some planting outside if the weather cooperates. Maybe a little hike too. Should be fun. I hope everyone has a safe and happy Labor Day weekend!

Beautiful flowers from Arik. The photo just doesn't do them justice...they are gorgeous!

More flowers from Arik...what a sweetie!

Katie had brought over some flowers as well. I put them in a little window arrangement.

More flowers on the window sill.

Birthday Weekend

2009-08-31T09:11:00.007-04:00

Today is a big birthday...it's my big 3-0!!! Woo-hoo...thirties here I come. We celebrated this weekend by taking a trip back to my favorite city of all time, Asheville, NC. Along the way we stopped at Mouse Creek Falls to do a bit of hiking. The weather was gorgeous and the trail was quiet and beautiful. It was the perfect weekend.

Trees along the way.

Trail flowers.

Two buddies enjoying the trail.

Arik and Katie thought they had discovered Mouse Creek...it wasn't.

Some of the rapids. The trail followed the river the entire 2 miles.

Arik found a tree to go along with his theme of "three". He had declared my birthday a three day extravaganza to represent the three decades I've been alive....it sounds so OLD when you put it like that!!!

Takin' a break for some lunch.

The river that followed the trail.

The trail's main attraction was a swimming hole. The water was super clear (and cold). The water boasted quite the abundance of fish...they must be back to school too! HA!

The guys decided to make the climb up and take the plunge into the frigid water.

"Hmmm...Do I really want to do this?"

"Oh, cold. This smile is really masking hypothermia!"

The girls decided to stay on dry land.

A little jig over the river. We're not sure why.

More trail flowers.

Moss.

Fern.

Us.

Relaxing in Asheville...cutest city ever.

Aaron and Arik...best buds.

By an amazing mural on the street.

Me and Katie (BFF's) out for dessert and drinks.

The trees have spheres of lights that illuminate the sidewalks at night.

Crazy boy statue.

I had such a great/relaxing/amazing weekend. Thanks for making it so special!

Dog Days of Summer

2009-08-25T16:08:00.005-04:00

Just hanging out with my pups on a beautiful Tuesday afternoon. Thought I'd share some more pics from the yard. The dogs are lovin' the cooler weather (well, it's 84 degrees...yes, that's cooler).

The pups soaking up the sun.

Rosco up front. Molly in the back.

The dahlias are almost done. They've been strong all summer.

These are marigolds from seeds my mom sent me. They're growing great!

A couple more tomatoes headed our way!

This is just about the last daisy...I think next year they plan on taking over our entire garden!

Marigolds and a stray cosmo. I LOVE how bright it is.

Rosco...chillin'.

I forget what these little purple flowers are called, but they are low to the ground and they spread. They are super cute and don't mind the heat.

Why are you taking so many pictures today?

Wild flowers I planted from seeds...I think these are zinnias?

Another zinnia.

Black eyed susans...they did amazing this year. We've got them everywhere.

The last of the echinacea.

Farmer's Market

2009-08-23T14:04:00.003-04:00

I went to the Knoxville Farmer's market this weekend with a friend...it's a super cute little market. Lots of fruits, veggies, jewelry, pottery, soaps, meats, cheeses, dairy...you name it! I love supporting the local farmers and artisans. When we were there, I saw the HUGEST tomato I'd EVER seen...I had to get a picture of it. I talked to the farmer who said he uses champion horse manure to grow these babies. The pictures really don't do them justice...they were the size of a cantaloupe! There was also a historic fair going on downtown...so I had to take some pics of the dressed up town folk!

Seriously, these tomatoes were ENORMOUS!

Bigger than a small child...ok, maybe not QUITE that big.

Local guy playing guitar at his booth.

Some colonial folksman.

A woman trying to sell crap...er, I mean antiques.

How does your garden grow?

2009-08-20T11:05:00.007-04:00

I wanted to show a few pics from our garden and yard this year. I need to get out and take a few more before fall. Our little tomato plant is still going, the hydrangea is almost done, daisies are done...fall is rapidly approaching in East Tennessee. I heard on the radio today that there are only 12 days until UT football...that's when you know summer is over...football.

Anniversary in Savannah

2009-08-19T15:08:00.007-04:00

We spent four days in historic Savannah, GA to celebrate our 6th anniversary. It was beautiful weather, the town is super cute, and the food was amazing! We took one day and drove out to Tybee Island and hung out at the beach. The rest of the time we walked around the Riverfront, visited shops, listened to local music and relaxed. The trees and buildings there were absolutely beautiful! I would love to go back...and next time I think I want to take a ghost tour...Savannah is said to have a pretty haunted history. On the way home we couldn't resist stopping in Asheville, NC to grab a bite to eat...love that town!

The bridge that overlooks the channel to the Atlantic.

Happy little couple.

One of the fountains in one of Savanah's squares.

The biggest container ship we've ever seen. It's hard to get perspective, but it's seriously enormous! Look at how tiny the people are.

The old cotton exchange.

Best tuna ever...why are the best meals so teeny?

Can you see him getting redder by the second?

The waving girl of Savannah. A trademark of the city. Legend says she used to wave the ships in.

Down at the River front. Lots of shops, music, and historic buildings.

Lots of horse drawn carriages. The town was adorable.

China trip

2009-08-19T14:14:00.006-04:00

So most of you know that Arik went to China for a week on business. He is in charge of bringing all of the sharpie mini production back to the states. So yay for bringing more business to the US! However, as one might imagine, this is proving to be no easy task with all the logistics of bringing huge manufacturing equipment from China to Tennessee. He was able to snap some pics while he was abroad. While you peruse the photos, say your thanks for being blessed to live where you do, to have fresh, amazing food to eat and that you have a roof over your head!

The entire town was pretty polluted. Lots of smog everywhere.

This was at the "Big Buddah". These were sculptures surrounding it.

Here's the Big Buddah. Some people would climb and pause to bow.

Here's how we saw the city.

Chicken feet. They would just leave meat sitting out all day.

One of the markets. They were always trying to show you "the latest model" of something.

More meat just sitting out.

The streets were always super crowded. Lots of lights all the time.

Hellooooo

2009-08-19T10:33:00.001-04:00

Ok, so it's been a while since we've updated you on what's happening in the steamy south...I think my last blog was a year ago...EEEK!!! Time flies! We'll be using this site from now on to keep you all posted...it's way more user friendly (read: less time spent on my part=more super duper posts for you!). So a lot has happened in a year...one of the most exciting is Arik just returned from China for a week. Next post will have all the details. We love you guys and miss you all. Stay tuned for all the juicy china pics...chicken feet for dinner, anyone?!?!